Introduction

Bhakti Is the Essence of All Scriptures

Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī wrote Bhāgavata Sandarbha, a set of six books

called Tattva, Bhagavat, Paramātma, Kṛṣṇa, Bhakti, and Prīti Sanda-
rbhas, as a comprehensive analysis of Bhāgavata Purāṇa. According
to him, Bhāgavata Purāṇa delineates three topics, namely, samba-
ndha, abhidheya, and prayojana. Sambandha refers to the ontologi-
cal relation of the jīva as well as of primordial nature (prakṛti) with
the Absolute Reality (para-tattva), abhidheya means the recom-
mended method to actualize this relation, and prayojana means the
end state to be attained through perfection of the method. The first
four books in Śrī Jīva’s anthology delineate sambandha, while the
fifth and the sixth describe abhidheya and prayojana, respectively.
The concept of sambandha, or “relation,” naturally includes
sambandhī, “the intended object of such a relation,” with whom the
individual self is intrinsically related as the part to the whole. The
sambandhī is identified as Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the highest manifestation of
Absolute Reality. The abhidheya is devotional service, bhakti, and
the prayojana is love for Kṛṣṇa, prīti. These three topics are intro-
duced in Tattva Sandarbha and form the themes of the remaining
five Sandarbhas. Bhagavat Sandarbha delineates the nature of Bha-
gavān in general, who is the ultimate manifestation of Reality as the
supreme transcendence. Paramātma Sandarbha explains the rela-
tion between the individual living being and Paramātmā, as well
as between Paramātmā and the cosmos. Paramātmā is the same
Reality in His feature of supreme immanence. Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha

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establishes Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the original complete form of Bhagavān

and as the source of all other avatāras. With this analysis, Śrī Jīva
Gosvāmī completes the description of sambandha-tattva.
The present Sandarbha, which is the fifth volume in the anthol-
ogy, deals with abhidheya, the prescribed method to actualize our
relation with Bhagavān. Based upon the study of Bhāgavata Purāṇa,
this method is ascertained as bhakti to Kṛṣṇa. The author systemat-
ically demonstrates that although there are descriptions of karma,
yoga, and jñāna in Bhāgavata Purāṇa, it is ultimately bhakti alone
that is identified as the true and complete method. Bhakti has never
been established as the abhidheya so systematically and emphati-
cally as in this book. Earlier, bhakti was generally considered only
as one among a set of spiritual processes that include karma-yoga,
jñāna-yoga, and aṣṭāṅga-yoga. Moreover, it was usually taken as
a precursor to jñāna, which ultimately leads to liberation. Rarely
was it recognized as an independent process by itself. In contrast
to this, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī asserts that bhakti is the only abhidheya
worth following and that all other processes are futile without it,
like the thrashing of empty husks to obtain rice. Other practices
have lasting significance only if they are graced by bhakti.
In the beginning of Bhāgavata Purāṇa, sage Śaunaka posed
six questions to his teacher, Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī. One of the ques-
tions was about the quintessence of the practices described in
the Vedic scriptures, the application of which would bring com-
plete peace and fulfillment of the self (ātmā suprasīdati, Bhāgavata
Purāṇa 1.1.11). In response to this, Śrī Sūta affirmed that only unmo-
tivated, unobstructed bhakti to Kṛṣṇa can result in complete peace
and spiritual fulfillment. Thus, in the very beginning of Bhāga-
vata Purāṇa, its essential subject matter is specified as pure bhakti
to Kṛṣṇa. The remainder of the book expands on the theme of
bhakti. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī composed Bhakti Sandarbha to make this
fact explicit.
Bhakti Sandarbha is thus an elaborate analysis of bhakti as it has
been presented in Bhāgavata Purāṇa. The bhakti theology merits
study in its three aspects, namely, the object of devotion (Bhaga-
vān), His relation with the individual self, who is the subject or the

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performer of devotion, and the intrinsic nature of devotion itself.

These three are interrelated and interdependent. Most Vaiṣṇava
teachers have focused on the delineation of the first two theoreti-
cal aspects, although it is the third aspect that is the center of their
teachings regarding practice. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī gives an introduc-
tion to these three topics in Tattva Sandarbha and then elaborates
upon them in the next five Sandarbhas. The first topic is covered
in Bhagavat and Kṛṣṇa Sandarbhas, the second topic, in Paramātma
Sandarbha, and the third, in Bhakti and Prīti Sandarbhas. In Bhakti
Sandarbha, he discusses the practical aspect of bhakti, focusing pri-
marily on bhakti as a method and thus specifying its nature and
practice. In Prīti Sandarbha, he elaborates on the emotive aspect
of bhakti and shows how it is relished as rasa by qualified devotees.

Bhakti As the Remedy to Human Suffering

Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī begins Bhakti Sandarbha by pinpointing the root

cause of the living being’s suffering in this world. He says that
although by nature a jīva is conscious and thus superior to mat-
ter, yet it is marred by ignorance in regard to the Absolute Real-
ity. This ignorance has no beginning, and thus it is not initiated by
any action or intent either of the jīva or Bhagavān. It is the basis of
the turning of regard away from Bhagavān and bhakti, technically
known as the state of bhagavad-vaimukhya. This non-recognition
of one’s authentic identity leads to misidentification with the body
as the self. This further results in attachment to objects that are
pleasing to the mind and senses and aversion to objects that are
displeasing. These two — attachment (rāga) and aversion (dveṣa) —
are the fundamental affects of the human mind, and they give rise
to further emotions, such as anger, fear, greed, grief, and depres-
sion. The end result of all these is suffering and bondage to material
life.
Since the root cause of suffering is ignorance of Bhagavān, nat-
urally the solution is awareness of Him. This awareness ensues
from bhakti, which begins by turning one’s regard toward Bhaga-
vān (bhagavad-sāmmukhya). In this manner, bhakti eradicates the

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root cause of all suffering. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī shows that the import
of all scriptures is in bhakti. This is certainly true for Bhāgavata
Purāṇa, which was composed specifically for this purpose. He
undertakes a lengthy analysis to show that the topic of discussion
between all the primary teachers and students in Bhāgavata Purāṇa
is bhakti.

Bhakti As the Complete Method

A perfect or complete method should be suitable for all and not lim-
ited only to a certain class of people. It should not depend on any
other process and should bring about immediate experience of the
Complete Reality, which is Bhagavān. Paramātmā and Brahman,
which are the intended goals of yoga and jñāna, respectively, are
but partial manifestations of Bhagavān. For a process to be com-
plete, it must also be perpetual and not come to an end after grant-
ing its result. Moreover, it must be within the scope of one’s life
experience and not something that one realizes only in the here-
after. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī shows that it is bhakti alone that meets all
these criteria.
It should be noted that although Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī establishes
bhakti as the method, or sādhana, it is not sādhana in the tradi-
tional sense. Generally, sādhana is understood as the cause for
its outcome, known as sādhya, just as milk is the cause for yogurt.
Bhakti is not sādhana in this sense, because the outcome of bhakti
is also bhakti and not anything else. Moreover, bhakti as a method
is not a material undertaking that leads to a transphenomenal
result. Rather, bhakti is transphenomenal even in its practice
stage. It descends or is transmitted to a qualified practitioner
by the grace of an already accomplished devotee. Consequently,
bhakti is termed as a method (sādhana) specifically in the sense of
its own self-manifestation in a practicing devotee.
Bhakti as a method is not sectarian. Since it involves the sim-
ple turning of regard toward the Absolute, it is not dependent on
birth, gender, or age. In Bhagavat and Paramātma Sandarbhas, it
is described that the one Absolute Reality manifests as Brahman

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to the jñānīs, Paramātmā to the yogīs, and Bhagavān to the bhaktas.

Since Bhagavān is the most complete manifestation of Reality and
the source of Brahman as well as Paramātmā, the awareness of
a bhakta is superior to that of a jñānī or a yogī, meaning that it
includes and transcends the latter two.
Before Bhakti Sandarbha was written, karma and jñāna were
the prevalent paths. Most people participated in the varṇāśrama
system, and heaven (svarga) was the most cherished goal. Some
rare individuals took to the path of renunciation, jñāna, which
aims at realizing one’s identity with Brahman. For such jñānīs,
bhakti was a mere aid to Brahman realization. Even great Vaiṣṇava
ācāryas, such as Śrī Rāmānuja and Śrī Madhva, propagated bhakti
as a means for mukti in the form of entry into Vaikuṇṭha. On
the authority of scriptures, however, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī conclusively
established bhakti as the means as well as the end, superior even to
the different types of mukti. Knowing well that bhakti was not gen-
erally accepted as an independent path in contemporary society,
he devoted a major part of this book to this effect.
Above all, bhakti is the intrinsic potency of Bhagavān and thus
proceeds directly from Him. Through the medium of a perfected
devotee, the same potency is manifested in the heart of a quali-
fied practicing devotee. Thus, bhakti is a direct flow of the intrinsic
potency and is also the sole method to realize the highest manifesta-
tion of Reality, Bhagavān. For these reasons, it is the most complete
abhidheya.

The Nature of Bhakti

After establishing bhakti as the complete method, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī

discusses the nature of bhakti. Bhakti, being the intrinsic potency
of Bhagavān, has the power to purify even by slight contact. It
removes all inauspiciousness, obstacles, and fear and destroys
reactions to all past and present karma. It bestows fearlessness and
uproots ignorance, which is the cause of suffering and bondage.
Bhakti entails both knowledge as well as action. Since bhakti is

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 Introduction

beyond the guṇas of nature, the knowledge and actions that ensue
from bhakti are also nonmaterial. Bhakti is self-manifest, con-
scious, and blissful in nature, and awards love for Bhagavān. It
is not dormant within a jīva but descends by the grace of a pure
devotee. Even a semblance of bhakti can award mukti. The only
thing that can thwart bhakti are offenses. For this reason, Śrī Jīva
Gosvāmī elaborates upon them and their effects on a practitioner.
One of the fundamental characteristics of bhakti is that it is
causeless. Being transphenomenal in nature, it cannot be attained
by any material action. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī shows that bhakti is attain-
able only by the association of a devotee. Even the grace of Bha-
gavān is secondary to the will of His devotee. Out of love for His
devotee, Bhagavān remains under the control of His devotee. More-
over, He is untouched by any material misery and is ever absorbed
in beatific pastimes with His devotees. Being thus transcenden-
tally situated, He is entirely beyond the range of empathy with the
material suffering of the jīvas. Śrī Jīva draws this conclusion by
pointing out that empathy with another’s suffering is a transforma-
tion of the heart that occurs only when there is contact with that
person’s suffering, which is simply not the case for Bhagavān, as
much as darkness is absent in the effulgence of the sun. A devo-
tee who has attained perfection on the path of bhakti, however, can
empathize with the conditioned living beings, because such a devo-
tee still retains the memory of material suffering, although he him-
self is situated beyond it. Thus, bhakti is transmitted only by Bha-
gavān’s devotees existing in the material world, who do so out of
compassion for the plight of suffering humanity. By this reasoning,
the author stresses the importance of association with devotees,
sat-saṅga.

Levels of Bhakti

Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī states that highly realized or perfected beings

(mahāntas) among the sat are of two types: those who have realized
Brahman and those who have attained prema for Bhagavān. The lat-
ter category has three further divisions: those who have attained

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 Introduction

spiritual bodies as associates of Bhagavān, those who are altogether

free of material desires, and those who still retain subconscious
seeds of desire albeit in an inactive state. The intensity of a devo-
tee’s love determines his or her vision. For the benefit of neophytes,
Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī describes the characteristics of various levels of
devotees and makes three divisions of them on the basis of their
intensity of love for Bhagavān.
Śrī Jīva further explains that the love of a devotee can take the
mood of a servant, a friend, a parent, or an amorous lover, each
of these being successively superior in terms of the completion
and intensity of their love. Association with a specific devotee
nurtures a corresponding devotional faith, mood, and attraction
for a particular form of Bhagavān. This defies the misconception
that bhakti is inherent in the jīva. Śrī Jīva also describes how the
association with a devotee takes effect in progressive stages along
the path of bhakti. In enumerating the various limbs of bhakti
in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī specifies taking shel-
ter of a guru as the first and foremost. In Bhakti Sandarbha, Śrī
Jīva Gosvāmī elaborates on the process of accepting a guru. He
identifies three primary types of gurus in accordance with their
roles — namely, the śravaṇa, śikṣā, and mantra-gurus.

Definition of Bhakti

Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī explains that the word bhakti is derived from
the verbal root √bhaj, which means “to serve.” This mood of ser-
vice to Bhagavān is thus understood to be the svarūpa-lakṣaṇa, or
the intrinsic characteristic, of bhakti, defining bhakti in terms of
its constitutional makeup. Service is to be carried out with one’s
entire being, which includes the body, mind, and speech. Service
can be motivated by a desire for the fruit or without any such
motive. Service that is performed exclusively for the pleasure of
Bhagavān without any desire for material or spiritual benefit is
considered as the best. From this definition, it is clear that bhakti
is not limited to any specific action. All actions performed by way
of the mind, body, and speech can be part of bhakti if executed for

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 Introduction

the pleasure of Bhagavān. Even actions such as sleeping, bathing,

or attending to one’s physical needs can be indirectly included in
bhakti, because they are necessary for maintaining good health and
a stable mind. By way of comparison, the extrinsic characteristic
of bhakti (taṭastha-lakṣaṇa) is concerned not with bhakti’s constitu-
tion but with its effects — namely, that it can fulfill all aspirations
of a devotee and can bestow even the direct realization of the Abso-
lute in Its three aspects of Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān.
Taken together, the svarūpa and taṭastha-lakṣaṇas of bhakti form
its complete definition.

Divisions of Bhakti

Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī divides bhakti into three classes, namely, āropa-
siddhā, referring to the attribution of bhakti to the act of offering
prescribed Vedic duties or worldly actions to Bhagavān; saṅga-
siddhā, practices that do not belong to bhakti proper but that
become so through association with bhakti; and svarūpa-siddhā,
actions that are directly constituted of bhakti by their very nature.
Svarūpa-siddhā-bhakti, even if undertaken by an ignorant person,
can deliver the ultimate result. These three categories of bhakti
have two further divisions of sakaitavā (with ulterior motive) and
akaitavā (devoid of ulterior motive). If one executes devotion with
the sole purpose of attaining love of God, such devotion is akaitavā.
If, however, one harbors some other motive as the goal, it is called
sakaitavā.
Āropa-siddhā basically amounts to the offering of one’s karma to
Bhagavān. Saṅga-siddhā is a mixed form of devotion. The mixture
could be with karma, or jñāna, or both. Karma-miśrā saṅga-siddhā
is of three types, namely, sakāmā (with a desire for material enjoy-
ment), kaivalya-kāmā (with a desire for liberation), and bhakti-
mātra-kāmā (with a desire for bhakti alone). Jñāna-miśrā saṅga-
siddhā is undertaken either with a desire for liberation (kaivalya-
kāmā) or with a desire for bhakti alone (bhakti-mātra-kāmā). These
types of devotion are tainted with the material guṇas. In contrast,
however, svarūpa-siddhā-bhakti, also called akiñcanā, is completely

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 Introduction

transcendental. It is causeless and unobstructed. The mind of a

devotee who is established in svarūpa-siddhā-bhakti naturally flows
toward Bhagavān. This category of bhakti is constituted of direct
devotional practices, such as hearing, chanting, and remembering
the name, form, attributes, and pastimes of Bhagavān.

Svarūpa-siddhā-bhakti has two primary divisions, namely,

vaidhī and rāgānugā. Vaidhī-bhakti is impelled by scriptural injunc-
tions. It includes the practices of surrender (śaraṇāpatti), service
to pure devotees (sat-saṅga), and the nine primary limbs of devo-
tion, beginning with hearing and singing the name, form, qualities,
and līlās of Bhagavān. In modern times, people are averse to the
very idea of surrender. They think that by surrendering to a guru
or Bhagavān, they would lose their independence. Surrender is
considered a weakness of character and oppressive. As a conse-
quence, everyone wishes to be free and independent. In reality,
however, as long as human beings are conditioned by their karma,
there is no true independence. They remain slaves of their mind
and senses. Under such circumstances, it is pure delusion to think
that one is independent. Bhakti, on the other hand, liberates the
practitioner from the conditioning of karma and awards true free-
dom. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī explains that surrender involves the resolve
to act favorably and to desist from doing anything unfavorable
to Bhagavān, to have faith that Bhagavān will offer protection, to
accept Him as one’s protector, to submit oneself to Him, and to
embrace the spirit of humility. Surrender is the basic foundation
of bhakti.

Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī stresses the association of and service to pure

devotees of Bhagavān. He makes it clear that association with devo-
tees is an independent means of attaining perfection. In India, tra-
ditionally it is a custom to have darśana of sādhus. One of the pur-
poses and advantages of visiting holy places like Vṛndāvana is to
obtain the association of devotees, since devotees commonly reside
there. This is also the intention behind religious festivals, such as
kumbha-melā, where sādhus from all over India gather and set up
camp to avail their association to pilgrims.

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 Introduction

The primary limbs of bhakti practiced by devotees are nine, pop-

ularly called navadhā-bhakti. These include hearing, singing, and
remembering the name, form, qualities, and pastimes of Bhagavān,
service to His feet, worship of the deity, offering obeisance, consid-
ering oneself as a servant, considering oneself as a friend, and self-
surrender. Of all these limbs, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī specifically empha-
sizes the importance of kīrtana in the present age of Kali. Nāma-
japa and nāma-kīrtana are the specialty of the followers of Caitanya
Mahāprabhu.
Between the two divisions of bhakti, namely, vaidhī and rāgā-
nūgā, the latter is superior. It is the hallmark of the Gauḍīya
Vaiṣṇavas. Rāgānugā is based upon natural attraction for Bha-
gavān, just as the senses are naturally attracted to their corre-
sponding sense objects. The eternal associates of Bhagavān are
naturally attracted to Him eternally. Their devotion is called rāgā-
tmikā, referring to those whose authentic self is permeated by rāga
for Bhagavān. Since these associates are naturally and eternally
endowed with such constitutional devotion, their bhakti does not
fall under the category of practice, sādhana. On the other hand,
the bhakti of those who have developed a liking (ruci) for such
rāgātmikā-bhakti — although not yet having attained rāga — and
who follow the mood (bhāva) of a specific rāgātmika-bhakta, is
called rāgānugā, lit., “bhakti that follows the way of rāga.”
Rāgānugā is much more powerful than vaidhī, because it is
based on natural attraction. It does not depend on any scriptural
injunction. Because dhārmic people in general are accustomed to
have faith in and follow scriptural injunctions, it is difficult for
them to comprehend rāgānugā-bhakti. They consider any act not
prescribed by scripture as adhārmic. Anticipating a possible objec-
tion to rāgānugā from this point of view, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī shows
how rāgānugā-bhakti is the essence of dharma. Although it is not
impelled by scriptural injunctions, it is certainly not opposed to
scripture. Just as love is not a feeling that can be enjoined or forced
upon another person, so too rāgānugā-bhakti cannot be thrust upon
someone by scriptural injunctions. Rules are made for those who
are not naturally inclined to follow dharma. But rules serve no

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 Introduction

purpose for a person endowed with natural attraction. The behav-

ior of such a person naturally accords with scriptural rules, even
without the need of being impelled by them.
Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī makes the point that rāgānugā-bhakti is pri-
marily for Kṛṣṇa in Vraja. The eternal residents of Vraja are the
exemplars for rāgānugā-bhakti. There are four devotional moods
in which the Vraja residents relate with Kṛṣṇa, namely, as a ser-
vant, a friend, a parent, or an amorous lover. Out of these, the
lovers are the best. Among them, Śrī Rādhā is supreme. Rādhā’s
love for Kṛṣṇa is the epitome of bhakti. This is the essential mes-
sage of Bhāgavata Purāṇa. Attaining the love that follows Rādhā’s
bhāva is the highest perfection of human life. In Prīti Sandarbha,
the final volume of the anthology, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī examines this
love in an elaborate manner, basing his analysis particularly on the
Tenth Canto of Bhāgavata Purāṇa.

A Brief Summary of Bhakti Sandarbha

The book is divided into 340 anucchedas. Each anuccheda is piv-

oted around a principal verse from the Bhāgavata Purāṇa. Śrī Jīva
Gosvāmī does not give any titles to the anucchedas or make any
explicit divisions or chapters, but he does provide numerous clues
throughout the text regarding the thematic division of topics. On
the basis of these clues that have been carefully gleaned from the
text, the titles and chapters have been formulated for the easy com-
prehension of the reader. As mentioned by Śrī Jīva himself in the
beginning of Anuccheda 179, the whole book is conceived as having
three divisions. The first division comprises Anucchedas 1–178. It
deals with the topic of bhakti as the complete method of spiritual
attainment (abhidheya). It is further divided into three chapters —
namely, the establishment of bhakti as the complete abhidheya
(Anucchedas 1–120), the essential nature of bhakti (Anucchedas 121–
164), and pure devotion, which culminates in natural attraction for
Bhagavān (Anucchedas 165–178).
The second division consists of Anucchedas 179–213. It deals pri-
marily with the supreme nature of the devotees of Bhagavān, who

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 Introduction

are identified as the sole cause of attaining bhakti. This division also
contains three chapters. In the first chapter (Anucchedas 179–187.1),
Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī shows that bhakti is obtained only by the associ-
ation of devotees. There is no other means of acquiring bhakti. In
the second chapter (Anucchedas 187.2–202.2), he describes the char-
acteristics of three gradations of Bhagavān’s devotees, dwelling
in particular on those of the most highly elevated devotees. In
the third chapter (Anucchedas 202.3–213), Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī demon-
strates the sādhaka’s stages of progression along the path of bhakti
that occur only by the grace of devotees.
The third and final division of the book consists of Anucche-
das 214–340. In this part of the book, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī elaborates
on the practice of bhakti. It can be divided into five chapters. The
first chapter (Anucchedas 214–216) gives a brief introduction to
the subject of direct worship. It also defines the intrinsic and
extrinsic nature of bhakti. The second chapter (Anucchedas 217–234)
describes the three categories of bhakti referred to above, namely,
attributive (āropa-siddhā), associative (saṅga-siddhā), and inherent
(svarūpa-siddhā). It also describes three types of bhakti enacted by
practitioners who are still under the influence of the three material
guṇas. In the third chapter (Anucchedas 235–309), Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī
mentions two divisions of inherent bhakti, namely, vaidhī and
rāgānugā. The first of these is described in this chapter, and the
second, in the fourth chapter (Anucchedas 310–338). The fifth chap-
ter (Anucchedas 339–340) simply consists of the author’s concluding
remarks. Śrī Jīva stresses the importance of keeping one’s realiza-
tions confidential. They should not be disclosed to anyone. In the
last anuccheda, he summarizes the various stages on the path of
bhakti, beginning with the association of devotees. The stages of
development may vary from person to person. He concludes the
exposition of bhakti with a prayer to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.

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Salient Principles Established in Bhakti Sandarbha

1. Bhakti is the means as well as the end.

2. Bhakti is superior to mukti. The bliss of bhakti is superior to the
realization of Brahman.
3. The living entity’s natural constitution is to be a servant of Bha-
gavān. Therefore, bhakti is for all, regardless of birth, gender,
age, or nationality.
4. Bhakti is the most natural process for the living beings.
5. Bhakti is not limited to any specific act, such as hearing and
chanting about Bhagavān. It is all-inclusive.
6. The complete vision of the Absolute is possible only by bhakti.
The processes of jñāna and yoga provide only partial disclosures.
7. Bhakti establishes a relation with Bhagavān.
8. Without bhakti, the practices of karma, jñāna, and yoga cannot
bestow their respective results. Bhakti, however, is supremely
independent, and hence it does not depend on any other process
to award its result.
9. Bhakti is not inherent in the living beings. It descends by the
grace of a devotee or Bhagavān.
10. Bhakti is the intrinsic potency of Bhagavān, distinct from the
extrinsic as well as the intermediary potencies.
11. Bhakti controls even Bhagavān, meaning that He becomes
devoted to His bhakta.
12. Bhaktas are the topmost human beings, superior even to brāhma-
ṇas. Even a moment’s association with a bhakta is superior to
liberation.
13. Ahaṅgrahopāsanā is not recommended for bhaktas.
14. Praṇava is the mahā-vākya for the bhaktas.
15. Sat-saṅga, or association with a pure devotee, is the root cause
of attaining pure devotion. Sat-saṅga uproots the living entity’s
beginningless ignorance and grants immediate awareness of
Bhagavān.
16. Śraddhā is the only qualification required for the execution of
devotion.
17. Śraddhā is not a limb of bhakti proper but an attribute of a
devotee.

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18. A bhakta transcends the adhikāra, or eligibility, for the path of

karma. Thus, a bhakta does not incur any sin if he gives up his
nitya and naimittika duties. He does not need to undergo any
atonement.
19. Offenses are the greatest obstacle on the path of devotion.
20. Continuous chanting of the name eradicates offenses.
21. Even a semblance of bhakti destroys all sins and can grant union
with Bhagavān. Brahma-jñāna cannot lead to such a result.
22. The devas, such as Śiva, should not be worshiped as indepen-
dent gods but as devotees or as existential seats of Bhagavān’s
abidance. They should never be disrespected.

Importance of Bhakti Sandarbha

To engage in bhakti, one has to have the proper understanding of

one’s relation with Bhagavān. One has to know that one is an inte-
grated part of Bhagavān and not absolutely identical with Brahman,
as is understood by the radical nondualists (the Advaita Vedān-
tīs). Although the living beings and Bhagavān are one in terms
of consciousness, a distinction exists between them not only in
the phenomenal state but even in the liberated state. The relation
between them is thus one of transrational oneness and distinction
(acintya-bheda-abheda), which is the inherent nature of the rela-
tion between potency (śakti) and potent source (śaktimān). This in
brief is the “integral nonduality” propounded in Śrīmad Bhāgavata.
Pure bhakti is not possible without this understanding.
With this view in mind, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī composed the ear-
lier Sandarbhas to elaborately explain the relation between the jīva
and Bhagavān. These Sandarbhas are meant to be studied in the
order given by the author, otherwise the complete understanding
of Reality will remain beyond the practitioner’s grasp, which will
in turn obscure the practice of śuddhā-bhakti. And if bhakti is thus
obstructed or adulterated, it will not directly disclose Bhagavān
and prema to the practitioner, which is the whole purpose of under-
taking the investigation into Reality in the first place. In Śrī Jīva’s
ordered exposition, Bhakti Sandarbha stands out as the pivot or the

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 Introduction

center of all the Sandarbhas. The first four provide the theoretical
underpinnings that lead to it, and the last one elucidates its out-
come in the form of divine love (prīti). Bhakti Sandarbha is also the
most practically oriented out of the complete set, because it pro-
vides the method to be followed in one’s life. As far as a sādhaka
is concerned, the other five offer only a theoretical understanding,
which is however essential for authentic practice. Thus, although
each of the other Sandarbhas have their own specific role and impor-
tance, ultimately it is only Bhakti Sandarbha that is the beacon light
in one’s day-to-day life. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance
for a sincere sādhaka.
For the reasons just stated, anyone who is serious about becom-
ing a pure devotee of Bhagavān, especially of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, must study
Bhakti Sandarbha thoroughly. Along with Bhakti Sandarbha, it
will also be beneficial to study the Eastern division of Śrī Rūpa
Gosvāmī’s Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. This will provide an in-depth
understanding of pure devotion, which is not an easy subject
to comprehend. These two books are complementary and cover
most of the theoretical and practical aspects of devotion. Bhakti-
rasāmṛta-sindhu deals with the practical as well as with the emo-
tional aspect of bhakti. The Eastern division enumerates the first
aspect and the remaining three divisions, namely, Southern, West-
ern, and Northern, deal with the second aspect. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī,
however, deals with these two aspects of bhakti separately in Bhakti
Sandarbha and Prīti Sandarbha, respectively. What is described in
a very terse form in the Eastern division of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu
has been elaborated in Bhakti Sandarbha. The former, being com-
posed in śloka form, has its limitations, and needs the help of a
commentary to understand the subject matter. Bhakti Sandarbha
is not subject to the same limitation. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī makes the
subject easier to comprehend.
Bhakti Sandarbha places bhakti on the highest pedestal, which it
rightly deserves. Earlier, bhakti was considered only as a means for
liberation. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, however, on the strength of scriptural
authority, establishes that bhakti is the supreme process as well as
the ultimate goal. All other processes cease after delivering their

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 Introduction

respective results, but bhakti continues even beyond videha-mukti,

or ultimate liberation. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī goes on to say that without
the grace of bhakti, all other processes are impotent. Bhakti, being
the intrinsic potency of Bhagavān, is complete by itself and does not
depend upon anything. It was propagated by Bhagavān Himself at
the beginning of creation. Whatever a person wishes to attain —
material or spiritual — can be attained through bhakti. Everyone is
eligible to engage in bhakti irrespective of their status, gender, age,
nationality, or education. Only bhakti awards direct realization of
Bhagavān. Indeed, Bhagavān becomes controlled by His devotee.
All auspicious qualities become naturally manifest in a devo-
tee. The realization of Brahman is possible only by the grace of
bhakti. Even a semblance of bhakti can award liberation. The only
obstacles to bhakti are the offenses, and therefore they must be
conscientiously avoided. They have been elaborately discussed in
Bhakti Sandarbha. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī also describes the influence of
offenses. This is highly practical knowledge for a practitioner. One
can examine one’s own mind to see if one is progressing or regress-
ing because of offenses. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī also offers advice as to
how to mitigate the offenses committed in the past or in the present
life. Bhakti is the most blissful process both in the stage of practice
as well as in the perfected stage.
These characteristics of bhakti highlighted in Bhakti Sandarbha
are unique. It is crucial to understand all these points to uproot all
doubts about the nature and efficacy of bhakti. Because of the popu-
larity of other paths in the past, a sādhaka may have deeply formed
saṁskāras about the importance of other processes and may, thus,
knowingly or unknowingly harbor doubts or lack faith in bhakti.
Doubts and lack of faith dampen one’s enthusiasm to engage in
bhakti wholeheartedly. Worse yet is that one may act in an offensive
manner that will completely obstruct one’s progress. It is thus of
the utmost importance for a sincere sādhaka to study Bhakti Sanda-
rbha. It is recommended that a serious practitioner should study a
part of this book regularly, just as one would commit to other devo-
tional practices, such as chanting the names of Kṛṣṇa. By doing
so, one’s understanding of bhakti becomes more and more refined,

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 Introduction

which results in a corresponding increase in the purity and fixity

of one’s practice. This is the whole point of Bhakti Sandarbha.

Division of the Book into Two Volumes

Because of the length of this work, Bhakti Sandarbha has been

divided into two volumes, the first volume containing parts one
and two of Śrī Jīva’s text, and the second, the third and final part.
The second volume also contains all the references, including glos-
sary, subject index, verse index, and bibliography. Due to this
division, it has been necessary to adopt a concordant numbering
system wherever page references are given in the two books. A
Roman numeral (either i or ii), followed by a period, is placed
before the page number to indicate in which volume the reference
occurs. In volume i, this system was necessary only for the “Con-
tents at a Glance” page, where these numerals appear in the right
hand column. In volume ii, the same system has been applied for
the “Contents at a Glance” page and throughout the subject and
verse indexes.

xlv